Casey Martin
Encyclopedia
Casey Martin is a former American
professional golfer
and the current college golf coach of the University of Oregon
.
Martin was born in Eugene, Oregon
and still resides there. He was educated at Stanford University
, where he was initiated into the Sigma Chi
fraternity and was briefly a teammate of Tiger Woods
. He was a three-time all Pac-10 and was a member of the University's NCAA Championship
team in 1994. He won the 1993 Sahalee Players Championship
. He turned professional in 1995.
Martin suffers from a birth defect in his right leg known as Klippel Trenaunay Weber syndrome. Martin successfully sued the PGA Tour
in 2001 for the right to use a golf cart during competition under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Among the attorneys representing him was Martha Lee Walters
, a 2006 appointee to the Oregon Supreme Court
. During the years that the suit wound through the courts, he enjoyed limited success on the golf course, and throughout, was permitted to use a golf cart. In 1998, he won a Nike Tour event, the Lakeland Classic
, in a playoff, thus assuring himself of remaining on the tour the following year and securing a five-year exemption from the first round of Qualifying School
(Q-School), the competition whereby golfers seek to secure places on both the PGA Tour and the Nike Tour (later the Buy.com Tour, and now the Nationwide Tour
), the second-level competition. Also in 1998, he attained a career highlight by finishing tied for 23rd at the U.S. Open
, and briefly contending for the lead before falling back.
In late 1999, by finishing 14th on the Nike Tour money list, Martin secured a spot on the PGA Tour. He finished 179th on the money list in 2000 and failed to keep his card through his earnings on the PGA Tour. As a PGA Tour cardholder for 2000, he began at the final stage of that year's Q-School, but narrowly failed to keep his spot (finishing tied for 37th, when the top 35 and ties qualified), relegating him to the Nike Tour once more.
Martin kept full status on the Nike Tour through 2003, but failed to make the Q-School finals in 2003, relegating him to a limited status (he played nine tournaments) in 2004. In 2004 (following the expiration of his five-year exemption from the first round of Q-School), he advanced from the first round to the second of the three rounds, but no further, and only had limited status in 2005, playing nine tournaments on the tour and making two cuts. In addition, through a sponsor's exemption, he played the PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, making the cut and finishing tied for 65th. He failed to advance from the first round of Q-School in 2005. He played five Nationwide Tour events in 2006, making the cut once, for a total earnings of $1,328.
In May 2006, Martin was named head coach of the University of Oregon
's men's golf team in his hometown of Eugene, after working as a volunteer assistant during the 2006 season. He has indicated he hopes to continue to play, where it fits in with his coaching schedule. However, he did not play any professional events or attempt Q-School in 2007 or 2008.
Martin is co-founder and partner in a social networking golf community website 10thGreen.com.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
and the current college golf coach of the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
.
Martin was born in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
and still resides there. He was educated at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, where he was initiated into the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
fraternity and was briefly a teammate of Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
. He was a three-time all Pac-10 and was a member of the University's NCAA Championship
NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships
The NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, played in late May or early June, is the top annual competition in U.S. men's collegiate golf. It is a stroke play team competition, starting in 2009 the competition changed to a stroke play/match play competition with the top 8 teams after 54 holes of...
team in 1994. He won the 1993 Sahalee Players Championship
Sahalee Players Championship
The Sahalee Players Championship is an annual amateur golf tournament. It has been played since 1992 at the Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington.-Winners:*2011 Chris Williams*2010 Peter Uihlein*2009 Nick Taylor*2008 Trent Whitekiller...
. He turned professional in 1995.
Martin suffers from a birth defect in his right leg known as Klippel Trenaunay Weber syndrome. Martin successfully sued the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
in 2001 for the right to use a golf cart during competition under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Among the attorneys representing him was Martha Lee Walters
Martha Lee Walters
Martha Lee Walters is an American labor attorney and judge in the state of Oregon. As of 2008, she is the 98th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. She became the first female justice on the state's highest court in three years when she was appointed in 2006...
, a 2006 appointee to the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
. During the years that the suit wound through the courts, he enjoyed limited success on the golf course, and throughout, was permitted to use a golf cart. In 1998, he won a Nike Tour event, the Lakeland Classic
Lakeland Classic
The Lakeland Classic was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour from 1997 to 2000. It was played at the Grasslands Golf & Country Club in Lakeland, Florida.The purse in 2000 was US$400,000, with $72,000 going to the winner.-Winners:...
, in a playoff, thus assuring himself of remaining on the tour the following year and securing a five-year exemption from the first round of Qualifying School
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
(Q-School), the competition whereby golfers seek to secure places on both the PGA Tour and the Nike Tour (later the Buy.com Tour, and now the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
), the second-level competition. Also in 1998, he attained a career highlight by finishing tied for 23rd at the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
, and briefly contending for the lead before falling back.
In late 1999, by finishing 14th on the Nike Tour money list, Martin secured a spot on the PGA Tour. He finished 179th on the money list in 2000 and failed to keep his card through his earnings on the PGA Tour. As a PGA Tour cardholder for 2000, he began at the final stage of that year's Q-School, but narrowly failed to keep his spot (finishing tied for 37th, when the top 35 and ties qualified), relegating him to the Nike Tour once more.
Martin kept full status on the Nike Tour through 2003, but failed to make the Q-School finals in 2003, relegating him to a limited status (he played nine tournaments) in 2004. In 2004 (following the expiration of his five-year exemption from the first round of Q-School), he advanced from the first round to the second of the three rounds, but no further, and only had limited status in 2005, playing nine tournaments on the tour and making two cuts. In addition, through a sponsor's exemption, he played the PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, making the cut and finishing tied for 65th. He failed to advance from the first round of Q-School in 2005. He played five Nationwide Tour events in 2006, making the cut once, for a total earnings of $1,328.
In May 2006, Martin was named head coach of the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
's men's golf team in his hometown of Eugene, after working as a volunteer assistant during the 2006 season. He has indicated he hopes to continue to play, where it fits in with his coaching schedule. However, he did not play any professional events or attempt Q-School in 2007 or 2008.
Martin is co-founder and partner in a social networking golf community website 10thGreen.com.